Basketball <\/p>\n
The Orlando Magic unveiled a new logo and uniforms with the tagline, \u201ca new generation of Magic Basketball.\u201d The look is meant to be a nod to the past and the most memorable era of the franchise\u2019s history, but didn\u2019t quite get there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s impossible to say the design entirely missed the mark. The Magic specified that it is bringing back the \u201cstar\u201d as a centerpiece, featuring it as the \u201ca\u201d on all three of the new uniforms. Unless you\u2019re predisposed to hating the new logo and uniform look on sight, no one can say it\u2019s grotesque. In 2025, where there\u2019s a lot of ugly going around, that\u2019s a win.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To get all glowing compliments out of the way, the global logo and primary icons are especially nice. <\/p>\n Now, let\u2019s nitpick.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Magic\u2019s jersey redesign should\u2019ve kept it simple and gone full throwback. The original Orlando look remains iconic and could\u2019ve returned as is or with some slight tweaks.\u00a0<\/p>\n To be specific, we\u2019re talking font. Because Shaquille O\u2019Neal, Penny Hardaway and Tracy McGrady rank among the greatest players in the team\u2019s history, you can close your eyes and see the Magic lettering I\u2019m referring to in your head. It shouldn\u2019t have to be explained to you, but it\u2019s that jagged-edged look that appeared to have been created by a well-intentioned third-grader who did a fantastic job with the task. Scott Skiles dished out an NBA-record 30 assists with this lettering across his chest. Where is it? Why isn\u2019t it back? Why won’t we see new star Paolo Banchero create new memories in a throwback?<\/p>\n The new version is generic in comparison, encompassed by block lettering that makes the star blend in as opposed to being the centerpiece it was meant to be. Of the three looks, the white \u201cAssociation\u201d pinstriped version is by far the most attractive, and a main reason is because the star stands out largest in shiny silver amidst the M-G-I-C in blue.<\/p>\n The blue \u201cIcon\u201d version some would identify as the road kit in a past life where venues dictated the uniforms teams would wear instead of being arbitrarily chosen, is second-best.\u00a0<\/p>\n The white pinstripes on the team\u2019s electric \u201cMagic blue\u201d offers an aesthetically-pleasing contrast, but the \u201cOrlando\u201d looks too small. Sure, there are eight letters to cram in the uniform when working in the city as opposed to the five in the team name, but having the \u201ca\u201d star not be significantly larger was a major miss.<\/p>\n The \u201cStatement\u201d jerseys, your alternate versions that every team has in order to sell more merchandise, are predominantly black. These are more similar to the Magic\u2019s original road uniforms, but maybe that\u2019s why having the solid electric blue atop the team name with no pinstripes looks so off. The design is supposed to play off the team\u2019s original on-court warm-up jackets, but it all feels like elements pulling in different directions, creating a chaotic, non-pleasing result.<\/p>\n Lastly, not being talked about at all is the Magic\u2019s new secondary logo, which too closely resembles an All-Star logo or the Phoenix Suns\u2019 design. It would\u2019ve been nice to see the old-school \u201cO\u201d and \u201cM\u201d figure prominently here since they were discarded, but instead, we got a generic-looking secondary logo that no one can claim to like unless you\u2019re a PHX fan.<\/p>\n Orlando Magic fans have been waiting over a decade for a new look, so it\u2019s right to expect perfection while also understanding this could\u2019ve been much worse. However, since the original design was so well-received and nostalgia played such a large role in this redesign, it feels like a missed opportunity not to have gone full throwback. <\/p>\n MORE MAGIC COVERAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n Orlando Magic Linked To Four-Time All-Star In Dream Trade<\/a><\/p>\n Orlando Magic Can Land $204 Million Guard In Franchise-Altering Trade<\/a><\/p>\n Massive Trade Pitch Has Orlando Magic Landing Two-Time All-Star Point Guard<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n